The Green Life

Green Fashion Monday: Vegan Boots

On Fashion Monday, we highlight a hip, green fashion item. Got a stylish eco-friendly product to recommend? Tell us about it and look for it in an upcoming blog post.

Boots are all the rage this season (worn, preferably, with a pair of organic-cotton leggings), but what are those of us to do who refuse to wear leather? Style-savvy vegetarians would do well to go with these gray Zulu Faux Suede Slouch Boots from AlternativeOutfitters.com, a site that sells cruelty-free products that are free of animal parts. $48.

--Avital Binshtock

Green Your Cooking: Stop Short

What you eat and how far your food travels to get to you are important considerations, but it’s also a good idea to think about how you cook your meals; by doing so, you can reduce your energy use -- and your meals will taste great too.

Tip #1: Stop Short

Cooking instructions often seem like unbreakable codes. If it says 10 minutes, it means 10 minutes, right? Not necessarily: Once you heat up your oven or pot, they retain heat well. So consider turning the oven or stove off several minutes before the timer rings. Your food will keep cooking and you’ll cut down on energy use. It’s even possible to bring water to a boil, put pasta in, cover it, turn off the stove, and go for a walk. When you get back, your pasta will be ready.

Share your tips: How do you save energy while cooking?

Daily Roundup: December 4, 2009

Wind Doesn’t Uproot Prices: A recent study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that proximity to wind farms does not negatively affect housing prices. Green, Inc.

Green-U: Ball State University is installing the largest geothermal power system in the country on its campus. The university estimates that it can cut its carbon emissions in half with the new system. NPR

Efficiency’s Worldwide Ripple: China’s energy efficiency plans could cut oil use worldwide, lowering oil consumption by 20 percent compared to previous estimates. Environmental Capital

Youth Voices: The White House held a forum for youth leaders and cabinet members to discuss concerns and ideas about the green economy. Dot Earth

Conservative Conservationists: James Murdoch, of News Corp, makes the case for conservatives embracing clean energy to create jobs, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and cut down on greenhouse gasses. Washington Post

--Kyle Boelte

Movie Review Friday: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Escape to the movies with one of our Movie Review Friday selections. Each week we review a film with an environmental theme that's currently in theaters or available on DVD. Seen a good eco-flick lately? Send us a short review and look for it in the next Movie Review Friday.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
In theaters now

“I’m a wild animal,” Mr. Fox tells us several times in the course of Wes Anderson’s whimsical new movie Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl book. And so he cannot bear the docile life of a newspaperman — the profession he took up when domestic life demanded something less risky than his previous vocation, stealing poultry. So after years of marriage, family life, and writing a column he’s not sure anyone actually reads, he returns to his old ways, hoping that one last score will change his life.

Mr. Fox, it should be noted, is dressed in a dapper corduroy suit when making such proclamations about his wild nature. But this is a children’s movie — allegory is more important than fidelity to reality. And Fantastic Mr. Fox is full of allegory. The Fox is us, and the movie allows us to contemplate our nature and how we fit into the world around us. And he is also a creature caught between two worlds, the natural and the human. Though Mr. Fox is scared of the wolf — an animal that lives outside the human world — he is also enthralled by its wildness. That, too, may be us.

Filmed in stop-motion animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not only poignant and thought provoking, but also playful, very funny, and incredibly fun to watch. The voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray are pitch perfect, and the animation itself is a wonder to view. Like all great children’s movies, Fantastic Mr. Fox works on many levels. If you go with a child, it’s likely you’ll both come out of the theater smiling.

--Kyle Boelte

Daily Roundup: December 3, 2009

Show Them the Money: The World Bank loaned India $1 billion to clean up the Ganges, one of the most polluted rivers in the world. BBC News.

Solar Power, Closer to the Source: California regulators approved the country’s first solar power plant in space. The 200-megawatt orbiting plant will convert solar energy to radio waves and beam them to Earth where they’ll be transformed into electricity. New York Times.

Still Hurting: Twenty-five years after a toxic gas leak at a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, killed 15,000 people, residents are still living in a poisoned city. Los Angeles Times.

The Carp are Coming: Illinois biologists dumped the chemical rotenone into a Chicago canal in a dramatic effort to stop the invasive Asian carp from swimming into Lake Michigan. Thousands of fish in the canal died, but if the carp make it to the lake, officials fear the fishing industry would be devastated. Chicago Tribune.

Mapping the Future: Google and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled a Google Earth map of the state that shows future climate change impacts like coastal flooding, a smaller Sierra Nevada snowpack, and more forest fires. Reuters.

--Année Tousseau

Where's the Great American Climate Change Novel?

 

The Nation posted this neat video featuring playwright Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America, talking about climate change and how artists engage environmental issues.

This reminded us of something Bill McKibben wrote back in 2005. It seems when it comes to books about climate change or any aspect of environmentalism, most are nonfiction. Many non-documentary movies have a green sheen, it’s true. But from A Sand County Almanac and Silent Spring all the way to McKibben and Michael Pollan, nonfiction dominates lists of the most important environmental books. This begs the question: where's the Great American Climate Change Novel? Or how about the green bodice-rippers or eco-conscious chick-lit or spy novels?

So tell us: What are your favorite environmentally-themed fiction books? What's your idea for good eco-novel?

--Année Tousseau

Winterize Your Home: Refresh Air Filters

According to a report released by the White House, homes are responsible for more than 20 percent of carbon emissions in the United States. By making a few minor adjustments to your abode, you can reduce emissions and save money this winter.

Tip #4: Clean Furnace Filters

You can improve the efficiency of your furnace and improve indoor air quality by cleaning or replacing furnace filters. For best results, check your filter once a month during periods of high use. If your furnace is outdated, consider upgrading to a newer model. Consult the Energy Star Web site to find out if you're eligible for a federal tax credit. 

Share your tips: How do you heat your home?

Daily Roundup: December 2, 2009

Inked Activists: A U.K. art collective tattooed the images of endangered species onto volunteers at an awareness-raising event called ExtInked. New Scientist

"Climate Gate" Fallout: The University of East Anglia's Phil Jones resigned due to the controversy over climate-research emails leaked by a hacker. U.S. Republicans attacked the validity of global-warming research while White House science officials defended the data. Associated Press and Wall Street Journal

What a Waste: New research suggests that the United States wastes 40 percent of its food supply each year. Treehugger

Sea Shanty: Sea Shepherd activists plan to use a Maori chant (performed by New Zealand's Tiki Taan) to intimidate whaling vessels. Ecorazzi

Pachyderm Power: Indonesian conservationists use the Flying Squad, a herd of trained elephants, to keep wild elephants from leaving protected areas. The patrols help prevent wild elephant attacks on villages, which can result in the deaths of both people and pachyderms. Los Angeles Times

--Della Watson

Book Review Wednesday: Environmental History Books

Every Wednesday, we review a selection of new and upcoming books addressing a specific aspect of environmentalism. This week we’re recommending books that connect history with the natural world.

Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City (by Eric W. Sanderson, $40, Abrams, 2009) Using computer models, Sanderson and illustrator Markley Boyer have painstakingly recreated New York City circa 1609, when explorer Henry Hudson arrived. This beautiful book features detailed graphics and photos that depict an island home to the Lenape people, thousands of animal and plant species, and fifty-five distinct ecosystems. The book is the perfect gift for New Yorkers, conservationists, or anyone who's ever walked in a city and wondered what secrets the concrete hides.

Historical Atlas of the American West (by Derek Hayes, $40, University of California Press, 2009) Got a map geek or cartography nerd on your holiday gift list? This big, colorful collection features reproductions of over 600 original maps of the western half of the country, with some dating back to the 1700s. It's an enlightening look at what people thought about the environment and landscape of the West when it was still considered new, frontier territory.

Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose: Natural History in Early America (by Lee Alan Dugatkin, $26, University of Chicago Press, 2009) In the early days of the U.S., many scientists considered American flora and fauna inferior to European species. Incensed, Thomas Jefferson set out to prove them wrong, and used the majestic, native giant moose as a way to flaunt the natural wonders of the new country. If you want a shot of environmental patriotism, this book is a good choice.

Winterize Your Home: Layers for Windows

According to a report released by the White House, homes are responsible for more than 20 percent of carbon emissions in the United States. By making a few minor adjustments to your abode, you can reduce emissions and save money this winter.

Tip #3: Insulate Windows

You can save up to $20 per window per winter in energy costs by fortifying panes with plastic window film. If installed properly, the inexpensive plastic should be nearly invisible. Heavy curtains are another option for beating the cold. If you're not concerned with aesthetics, you may want to try the bubble-wrap solution. 

Share your tips: How do you winterize your windows?